### Steelers and Ravens Set for Pivotal Week 11 AFC North Clash

The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for their first divisional contest of the season, as they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Acrisure Stadium in Week 11. This crucial AFC North showdown holds significant implications, with Pittsburgh currently maintaining a narrow half-game lead in the division. The winner of this game will temporarily claim the top spot in the division.

The Baltimore Ravens’ defense has excelled at halting ground attacks, forcing their opponents to depend more heavily on the passing game—a strategy that has proved beneficial against them. The Ravens have allowed a league-high 1,992 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns to wide receivers this season. Additionally, they have conceded 54 explosive passing plays, defined as gains of 15 yards or more. With the secondary giving away an average of 8.7 yards per pass attempt to wide receivers—the fourth-highest in the league—the Ravens also tie for the fourth-highest NFL passer rating allowed on such targets.

In recent weeks, the Ravens’ defense has continued to show vulnerabilities against the pass. Over the past three games, five different receivers—Ja’Marr Chase, Courtland Sutton, Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore, and Jerry Jeudy—have each recorded at least 79 receiving yards. This trend indicates a potential breakout opportunity for Steelers’ wide receiver Pickens, who has been a significant target in Wilson’s passing game, securing 21 targets out of 79 attempts.

On the defensive side, the Steelers may have developed a blueprint to contain Lamar Jackson’s rushing threat. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Pittsburgh has allowed the second-lowest Expected Points Added (EPA) per carry at -0.44 and the second-lowest rush yards over expectation per carry at -0.9 to opposing quarterbacks. Consequently, they have the sixth-lowest rushing success rate under similar circumstances and have yielded the second-fewest rushing yards to quarterbacks this season, despite facing numerous proficient rushing QBs in their first nine games.

Among top rushing quarterbacks this season, Bo Nix, Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, and Jayden Daniels managed just a combined 55 rushing yards against the Steelers. This suggests that Pittsburgh’s defense could employ a similar strategy against Jackson to limit his impact on the ground.

While Lamar Jackson has thrown just two interceptions this season, replicating the Steelers' effective defensive schemes could disrupt his passing game. Jackson’s touchdown-to-interception ratio against Pittsburgh stands at 4-7, the worst against any opponent in his career. With T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig, and Preston Smith applying pressure, and defensive backs like Donte Jackson, DeShon Elliott, and Minkah Fitzpatrick poised to capitalize, the Steelers are positioned to challenge Jackson’s passing accuracy. Notably, Jackson has thrown an interception in each of his last four games against Pittsburgh.

As the Steelers and Ravens lock horns in this high-stakes battle, the outcome will likely hinge on the ability of each team to exploit the other's weaknesses and execute their strategic game plans effectively.